A common water vole is specifically adapted to hunting and living near water. There are 18 unrelated species of these rodents, found on various continents. Muskrats, water voles, rakalis, and golden-bellied water voles fall into this classification.
The golden-bellied water vole is found in Australia, Tanzania, and New Guinea.
Although all mice belong to the Muridae family, they are not all closely related. Some species known as water voles are not actually rats, but they are all rodents. Many are confused with other animals, such as beavers or platypuses. Most are carnivorous, but some are not. The animals known as water mice vary greatly in size and habitat.
The water rat is native to Europe. Sea rats are 6 to 8 inches long, not including the tail, and weigh 6 to 11 ounces. Their fur is brown or black and they have short, bushy tails. Sea rats have small ears with flaps of skin, which close to keep out water. Unlike most types of water voles, water voles are herbivores.
Rakali are larger, 9 to 15 inches (22.86 to 38.1 cm) long and 12 to 45 ounces (340 to 1,275 grams), with a long, broad tail that measures 9.5 to 13 inches. .5 inches (24.2 to 34.5 cm). This mammal is native to Australia and burrows on the shores of lakes and rivers. Rakali have flat heads, long noses, and webbed hind feet. Its fur is brown or black, with a white belly. The rakali’s diet is varied and includes insects, fish, crustaceans, birds and eggs.
Muskrats belong to the same family as beavers. They live in burrows, swamps and swamps. Muskrats are large and plump, usually about 12 inches long and weighing up to 4 pounds as adults. They have webbed hind feet and shiny brown fur. Communication is done by releasing a substance called musk from their glands because their hearing, sight, and smell are poor.
The golden-bellied water vole is found in Australia, Tanzania, and New Guinea. They live near lakes and rivers, eating fish and crustaceans. Their fur is brown or grey, with white-tipped tails and occasionally a lighter belly. The golden-bellied water vole weighs about 850.5 grams fully grown. Unlike other water mice, its fur is not waterproof, but all four feet are webbed.
Earless water voles are found in New Guinea. Its hind legs are long and webbed, and its ears are completely hidden. The water vole’s waterproof fur is brown on the back and white on the belly. Their long tails are dotted with white. They measure 6 to 9 inches long and weigh about 6 ounces.